Temptaion of Ahsoka Tano
by Shawnenos
Summary: Two days after Ahsoka Tano leaves the Jedi Order, she decides to return to the Temple to say her farewell to her fellow Jedi. Along the way she runs into another former padawan who invites her to the abandon house he lives in to help him figure out the mystery behind an artifact his has in his basement. What they find is terror!
1. Chapter 1

Note: This story was written in collaboration with co-writer The Core of Justice. Uni is this writer's character.

Chapter 1

Rain falls lightly out of the dark cloudy night sky in Coruscant, pitter patting off the rooftops. A steady breeze licks between buildings like a chilled tongue picking at the gaps between teeth. Pedestrians on the streets who look like specks of dust below the flickering and flashing billboard holos, and innumerable trails of airspeeders, are chilled to the bone.

Ahsoka hates the rain. It soaks into her montrals and the added weight makes her neck ache. Today, however, she welcomes the rain. It matches her mood. Two days after leaving the Jedi Order and she is depressed. So much of her life has been an ascent to one pinnacle achievement – becoming a Jedi.

Now that life is gone and she does not know what to do with herself. Now what is to be her purpose? Where will she find meaning? It has left a hole her.

She knew it was the correct decision. Leaving the Order was the correct decision. Ahsoka felt it in her bones. It felt like it was the will of the Force. Not only did it feel like the Jedi lost their way, but it felt like the Force was saving her for something, or even from something in the future.

Yet, how could she not feel regret? Part of her, a big part of her, wanted to crawl up the steps of the Jedi Temple and grovel at the feet of the Council, telling them she had made a mistake. Tell them she wanted back. Beg forgiveness for this mistake.

But it had not been a mistake.

She knew that much.

Now, as the rain slowly soaks her, it feels as if some of those doubts were washing away. It felt good. She needed it. Ahsoka was on her way back to the Jedi Temple, not to be a for her to return, but she felt like she needed to say goodbye to some at the Jedi Temple. She wanted to say goodbye before she left Coruscant for good, never weeing them again.

This is the reason she had not left in the first place. That, and she had no idea where she would go from here. She knows, she will eventually return to her homeward of Shili. It was the most logical thing to do. Return to her family and figure out where she will go from there.

For some reason she was hesitant to. It was as if she was waiting to figure out the Will of the Force. As if she needed its permission. She didn't. Not any longer at least. Nevertheless, it is an old habit that is hard to break. Seeing the will of the Force has been a part of her life for so long that she wonders what will happen to her. Will the Force abandon her like a commander abandons a droid he or she no longer finds use for? Will her powers diminish and she becomes as ordinary as the next person?

These are some of the things running through her mind as she walks the streets of the Federal District on her way to the Jedi Temple, keeping her mind in a fog. Mainly, what she is thinking about is how much she is going to miss the people. Her fellow padawans, Jedi knights, and masters she fought and bled with. Most of all, she is going to miss Anakin Skywalker. He was not old enough to be a father figure to her, rather he was like an older brother, and he was her best friend.

"Ahsoka," a familiar voice says from the shadows. She turns to find the face of the person who called her as the fog over her mind begins to evaporate as she snaps back to reality. "It is you!"

A dark figure steps out from under an awning that shields the young man from the rain. Shadow masks his face until he steps out onto the damp sidewalk close to where Ahsoka stands, and the city light brightly unmasks the young man.

"Uni? Is that you," Ahsoka says. The surprise of seeing him brightens her face with a smile.

"You bet your you know what I am," Uni says. Uni is a young man barely fourteen years of age. Yet, he was tall for his age. Nearly a foot taller than Ahsoka. The young man is of dark complexion human with short dark hair. A Korun. He was Plo Koon's student until recently when Uni had failed the trials. Most padawans who failed the trials were often allowed to retake the trials at a later date. Uni was not. Rumor has it that the young man was too vocal on his views on a Jedi's ability to use both the light and dark sides of the Force.

Uni had also become cynical about the Jedi Order. He felt they were no longer better than the Sith. He felt the Order had become corrupted by the war.

"What are you still doing here," Ahsoka asks. The question comes out more callously than she intends it to. Uni had been expelled over a month ago, but he had remained on Coruscant. Usually, rejected padawans return to their home worlds – just like Ahsoka intends to eventually do.

"Well, I have no way of getting home, so I've been stuck," Uni says a little sheepishly. Ahsoka notices that he is still wearing the same Padawan tunic he wore when he was in the Order. The beige tunic was now stained with dark brown and black splotches. It looked as if he had been rolling in the mud. Uni's brown cloak was also stained and had holes in it. His hair is unkept and his face was dirty as well.

"You didn't go home," Ahsoka asks.

"No! The Jedi Council did not give me money to go home," Uni says. This comes as a shock to Ahsoka. She had always thought failed padawans were returned by the Jedi Council to their home worlds. That's why he's filthy! He's homeless!

"Where do you live," Ahsoka says, concerned he has been living in a gutter somewhere.

"I've been staying in an abandoned house on Humboldt Street. It's old, but it keeps me warm at night," Uni says a little ashamed.

"You poor thing! How have you been able to eat?"

"I am able to pick up odd jobs here and there. "I'll eat out of a dumpster if I have to."

This breaks Ahsoka's heart. Uni was a great student in the Jedi Temple. He excelled in everything he did. For the Jedi Order to treat him this way is unacceptable. She felt justified for leaving the Order for the first time since she left.

"Oh, Uni that's terrible!"

"I'm okay. I'm trying to save enough money to get back home, but it is taking a long time."

"I have to stop by the Jedi Temple to grab a few things and say my goodbyes, but do you mind if I stop by the house you are staying at to bring you somethings?"

"That would be amazing," Uni says. He smiles and a light seems to flicker in his eyes. "If you stop by there is something I'd like to show you. Some kind of artifact. Maybe it is something you can help me figure out what it is."

"Sure," Ahsoka says. Helping Uni out has made her feel better than she has in weeks. They say their goodbyes and she heads to the temple.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After Ahsoka finished her goodbyes at the Jedi Temple, she did what she had promised. She met Uni at the house on Humboldt street with a bag full of food and a brand-new tunic for him. The house looked old. Ancient really. Built from wood that is now rotten, the two-story house looked like it was ready to fall over. Water and bugs had left holes all over the outside of the house. There is no telling how chewed up any of the support beams look. Its wood had turned a dull grey, which included the boards nailed to cover up the broken windows.

Uni was waiting for her outside the house as she walked uncomfortably up the driveway. She stared at the house the entire time. Eyes opened wide as heart raced inside her chest.

"You live here," Ahsoka asks, hoping he would say no and lead her to another house.

"Yeah! It's not great, but it keeps me warm and dry," Uni says. He waves her in. "Come on!"

"I'm not sure about this," Ahsoka says. "Because it looks like it is nearly to collapse on us!"

"It's fine," Uni says with a laugh at her skittishness. "Come on!"

"Why don't we inform the Jedi Council about the artifact. Anakin would know what the artifact is," Ahsoka says. Even with Uni's assuring words, she still feels great unease about entering the house.

"Because I don't trust the Council. They expelled me, remember?"

"Okay," Ahsoka says with a reluctant sigh. "Let's go!"

Uni smiles again, then leads the way up the rickety steps, then into the house. He turns the rusty doorknob. It opens a few inches before catching on the floor. The wood in the hinges must be rotten and the screws are only catching air. Uni lifts up on the doorknob with both hands and pushes the door open with his shoulder.

"Come on," Uni says motioning with his hand again as he steps through the doorway into the house. The floorboards squeak and moan with each step he takes.

"Ahsoka has never seen a house made of wood like this before. She assumed all the structures on Coruscant were constructed of metal.

It wasn't a good first impression.

The house's staircase is a few feet behind the front door. There is just enough space for the door to clear the first step. Half of the staircase's steps are split down the middle of each broken board.

There is a wall that runs up the left side of the staircase and a hallway and a small alcove with a pile of broken rubble to the right.

Uni muscles the door shut once Ahsoka is inside. The house becomes completely dark inside. Her heart begins to pound. It is starting to feel like a tomb inside the house. Ahsoka puts her hand up to her face, but she cannot see it until Uni holds up a small orb that lights up the room.

"Thanks," Ahsoka says to which Uni nods.

The air is surprisingly fresh. Damp, but fresh. It smelled almost like pine trees. She expected it to smell musty or even have a sour mildew smell to it.

Somewhere in the house there is a leak. The repetitious dripping sound echoes off the walls in the hallway like a heartbeat. Drip drop. Drip drop. It rings in her ears and makes her head hurt.

Ahsoka follows Uni down the hallway, but halts after the first step and looks down. The ground feels funny. A little spongy. It's carpet. Yet, whatever color it was originally has now turned a dark greenish grey color. A thin layer of algae, moss, fungi has grown over the carpet. There is a sloshing sound as she steps and brown water squirts out, then is drawn back into the carpet when she lifts her feet.

"Are you coming," Uni asks her, peeking his head out from around a corner at the end of the hallway.

"I can't believe you live here," Ahsoka says with a soured look on her face.

"Well, I have choice. The Jedi Council refused to pay for my trip back to Harnun Kal, and I have no money, so I have to crash here," Uni says, looking at Ahsoka and waiting for her to finish walking through the hallway as she cautiously steps on the carpet. "Come on! I'll give you the grand tour."

"No thank you," Ahsoka says as she completes the journey through the hallway and off the carpet. "Let's just look at this artifact and then get me out of here!"

"Have it your way!"

They are now in a large room. Uni lifts the orb and moves it back and forth over his head, lighting different parts of the room for Ahsoka. There is more rubble that fell from the ceiling in the room. Piles of boards, sheet rock, copper piping, and electrical wiring. White specks of dust floats in the air like tiny insects.

Suddenly, Ahsoka feels a great amount of uneasiness and fear.

"Do you feel that," Ahsoka asks Uni.

"No. What?"

"I feel cold," Ahsoka tells him rubbing her arms to keep herself warm.

Uni frowns, shakes his head, then says, "You should have brought a jacket!"

"No, it's not that. It's like I feel cold in my spirit."

"Will you stop messing around! I already told you this place is fine," Uni says, sounding a little irritated.

However, there is something telling Ahsoka it is not fine. She feels afraid. The type of fear that seems irrational to everyone else, until something happens. The house feels alive somehow, like she can feel its presence. Or maybe it wasn't the house at all, but maybe someone is here and Ahsoka could sense him or her. Their presence feels evil and she can feel its malice towards them.

"Are we alone, or is someone else here," Ahsoka asks, trying to peer through the darkness.

"We're alone," Uni says. He laughs at the absurdity of her question. "Will you stop it! You're scaring me!"

"Sorry," Ahsoka says with a shrug. Uni sees the fear in her eyes.

"If it makes you feel better, we can check every inch of the house together," Uni says reluctantly, tilting his head to the side. He knows she cannot help being afraid. The house is creepy, but he has spent so much time here he doesn't notice it.

"Okay," Ahsoka says as he ignites his purple lightsaber. Ahsoka ignites hers and the two of them inspect every square inch of the house together, except the room the artifact is in. They find nothing. Not even a rodent.

It makes her feel better, but she still feels the presence.

Uni finally takes her to see the artifact. It is diamond shaped and its outer casing is made of a thin layer gold, which covers the edges of the artifact. Underneath the gold is a layer of glass that glows florescent green. There is writing on the artifact, in a language Ahsoka has never seen before.

The object is much larger than she expected it to be. It rests on its top with its point sticking up in the air. How the decrepitated floors are able to bare its weight, is beyond her? Uni bends down to scoop up the artifact into his arms. The artifact covers up his body, from his hips to his chin.

Suddenly, the artifact begins to glow red from inside, after Uni's hands touch it. The light pulsates as if it were a beating heart.

"Let's move it to the rec. room," Uni grunts out. The weight is too much for him.

"Do you want me to help you carry it," Ahsoka asks, worried Uni drop and shatter the artifact.

"No, I can handle it," Uni grunts out. He has begun to sweat from his brow under the strain of the object's weight.

Ahsoka ponders on what the object really is as they walk it out to the large opened spaced room. A holocron would be her guess. Whether it is a Sith or a Jedi holocron she cannot tell. Yet, it is too large to be a holocron. Holocrons usually fit in the palm of your hand and this object is difficult to carry with just one person.

"Ahsoka. It's slipping . . . it's slipping out of my hands," Uni says, staggering as he walks. Ahsoka rushes to him and grabs one of the artifact's edges before he loses his grip and it smacks against the floor. "Thanks,"

Upon touching the artifact, a red light begins pulsating within its core. Moments later, something inside appears to be spinning.

"No problem," Ahsoka says absent mindedly as she watches the light.

Suddenly, a shrill, whisper of a voice calls her name. She looks around the room, but then realizes the voice is coming from the object. Ahsoka accidently drops the object in fright. It lands inches away from Uni's feet when it smacks against the floor. He jumps back to dodge it.

"What was that for," Uni asks her angrily. "You almost dropped it on my feet!

"It called my name," Ahsoka says. Her face looks pale and terrified as she stares at the artifact.

"What did? The artifact," Uni asks. This time he begins to look frightened.

"Yes," Ahsoka says still staring at the artifact lying on the floor.

"Get away from," Uni tells her, but she is frozen with fear and does not move. "Ahsoka, move away," Uni shouts louder.

He steps towards her to move her out of the way, when the artifact's point's peel back like the skin of a topato. Blinding bright light emanates from the opening, illuminating the entire room. Then the light is gone.

The artifact is gone too, and in its place, there is a round thing floating in the air at chest level. It is about the size of someone's fist. The thing glows a black light – if there is such a thing – that shines upon their faces. Like a mass of fluffy black pollen mashed together, it simply floated there.

"Ahsoka. Ahsoka," it called to her. She stared at it, mesmerized by it. She wanted to touch it. To hold it in her arms, and even have it be a part of her. Yet, somewhere in the recesses of her mind she felt a warning. It was dangerous and it took all Ahsoka's will not grab it.

It must have been calling to Uni as well, because he began walking towards it in a stupor.

"Uni no," Ahsoka shouted. She reached out her hand towards him, to push him away from it.

But she was too late.

The black cloud floats into Uni's chest. He begins hyperventilating and claw at his chest as if he is trying to dig it out of him. Uni looks at Ahsoka, frightened and wanting to cry out for help. A faint moan is all he can manage.

Ahsoka clasps his face and asks, "Are you okay?"

"I . . . I . . . I don't know," Uni says, looking from his chest to Ahsoka, then back to his chest.

"Maybe it was just a dust cloud, or something," Ahsoka says looking at his chest. "Either way, we need to get you to a hospital."

"Maybe," Uni says. Suddenly, his mouth shoots open and he begins grasping his chest once more. "Aaaaaggggh," he screams, then collapses to his knees. "It burns! It burns! It burns!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Uni! Are you okay," Ahsoka asks as she places a hand on his back. Uni is hunched over and is panting heavily, but he has finally stopped screaming.

"I think so," he says struggling to his feet. Cold sweat rolls off his face that is now pale and green. "Let's get out of here!"

"Yeah and get you to a hospital," Ahsoka says. Uni says nothing, just throws his arm around her shoulder as she helps him to the door. He grunts in pain along the way.

Suddenly, he drops to the floor again. "Aaaaagggggh," Uni screams as he clutches his stomach. "It hurts! It hurts!"

Ahsoka places a hand on his drenched forehead. He's burning up! Uni needs out of this house and into a hospital immediately. She brings her wristcom close to her lips to call Anakin Skywalker, but she can't get a signal in this house.

"Ahsoka, help me! Aaaaggghh! It burns," Uni says. He has now curled up in a ball and is rolling back and forth. His skin begins bubbling and popping. "Aaaaaggghh!" Uni flings his hands to his face. Horror fills his eyes as he pulls them from his face, finding them covered in his blood.

"I need to go outside and call for help," Ahsoka says. She tries placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he is too distracted by the pain. "I'll be right back!"

"Aaaaaaaggggggh," Uni screams. This time he clutches his left arm.

Pop!

The skin on his are burst open and sprays blood around the room like an over inflated balloon that just popped. He lets out another blood curdling scream of pain. His arm is now red, scaly, ten times its original size, and growing larger. Uni skin dangles from his shoulder blade as if it we part of his torn tunic. His hands are replaced by huge red claws with yellow claws.

"Aaaaaggggh," Uni screams again and now his right arm bulges and bursts open. His legs pop as well and a tale pops out as well. Ahsoka helplessly looks in the eyes and she his terror. He snaps his head back in pain, which turns into a growl before a massive red head bursts out of his own head. Its fangs are nearly a foot long, and the horns on its head are big enough to be impaled upon.

The remains of Uni's slide off the beast scaly back and land on the floor like some discarded costume. Before her stood a twenty-foot dragon. The beast lowers its massive head to look Ahsoka in the eyes. Yet, it no longer had eyes. Rather, it had two gaping empty eye sockets, filled with an orange and yellow flame that licked the top of the sockets.

The dragon let out a deafening roar. Its breath is warm and moist Ahsoka's face, and reeks of rotting flesh and flame.

Ahsoka is frozen with fear and indecision. Uni is dead and she will be to if she does not get out of here. She does the one thing she can think of. She ignites one of her lightsabers and flings it at the beast's neck. The lightsaber twirls in the air until it ricochets off the dragon's neck making a dull clanking sound.

The dragon is unscathed and suddenly she realizes what the beast is. It is not a dragon at all, but rather a palanthitar. A demon birthed by the dark side of the Force. She had only heard rumors of a palanthitar and believed to be a myth. Once a sith has been killed, the power he used in the dark side of the Force, sometimes becomes a ball of energy, which also contains fragments of the former sith lord's soul. It cannot take form without a host, and it will not rest until it finds one.

Now that it has taken form after killing Uni, she cannot kill the thing. She needs to escape. Ahsoka bolts for the hallway that leads to the door. She reaches out with the Force to retrieve her lightsaber as she runs and catches it in her out stretched hand.

The beast whips its tail, smacking Ahsoka in her gut before she can reach the hallway. She is flung across the room, smacks against a wall, then collapse on the floor. Its tail knocked the with out of her and she hunches over trying to breath. Still unable to breath, she forces herself up once her feels the pounding vibration of the beast charging at her.

At the last moment, she dives and rolls out of the way. The beast digs its claws into the floor to stop itself. Floorboards splinter and are torn from the floor. It tumbles and falls on its side before smashing through part of a wall. Half of its body covers the hallway, so she looks for another way out. Ahsoka runs over and picks up Uni's glowing orb and finds a second staircase leading upstairs.

The beast digs itself out of the wall. It is furious, letting out another deafening roar. The dragon gets to its feet and charges at Ahsoka again. Once more she dives out of the way of the beast. It stumbles, rolls head first, then lands on its back.

Ahsoka books it to the stairwell while the dragon is momentarily dazed. If she can make it up the stairs and find a window to bust through, she knows she can make it out of the house. Hopefully, the dragon will stop pursuing her at that point.

She can hear and feel the loud thuds behind her as it gives chase again. As she reaches the staircase, she slams into the wall, before she hurtles herself up the stairs. As soon as she reaches the top of the stairs, the beast smacks into the staircase, destroying it.

Ahsoka tumbles to the floor after the beast smacks into the staircase. She looks around the room for a window to break out of. The second floor is one big open space, except for the support beams. There are no rooms here, just one big dark empty space. At the other side of the second floor, Ahsoka sees a faint light from a boarded-up window.

She begins running towards the window. The boards thump and squeak as she runs. Suddenly, there is a loud thud from beneath her. Some of the floorboards pop up, which causes her to stumble. Ahsoka throws her hands out to brace her fall. Her wrists smack down awkwardly onto the floor. Pain shoots through her hands and wrists, and she lets out a squeal of pain.

There is another loud thumping sound, followed by the sound of sniffing. Ahsoka doesn't move a muscle. She hopes the beast will not find her scent, then move on. She waits in the same spot on her hands and knees listening. Moments later she hears the beast walking away. Ahsoka lets out a sigh of relief, then very slowly crawls on her hands and feet, silently towards the window.

Crack!

The floorboards begin bulging upwards in front of where she is crawling. Boards crack and pop. They fall back into place for a second, then the floor seems to explode. Shattered boards, nails, and splinters shoot all over the room, and the terrible red beast bursts through the hole in the floor and thuds into the ceiling. It lets out a deafening roar and struggles to squeeze the rest of its body through the hole. More boards crack and break as it thrashes.

Ahsoka screams and backs up on her hands and feet. _Its stuck,_ she says to herself. _I can't make it to the window now, so I will have to make it to the front door._

She pulls herself to her feet as the beast squeezes one of its arms through the hole. Ahsoka makes her way to the shatter staircase and leaps down, landing on a pile of broken wood. The wood pile shifts beneath her feet and she stumbles onto the floor. The sound is heard throughout the room and the beast begins jerking its body downwards like a wild animal caught in a snare.

"No time to waste," Ahsoka says aloud as she forces herself to her feet. She runs towards the hallway that leads to the front door. Chunks of shattered wood falls from the ceiling and smacks against the floor as the beast thrashes. "Faster! Father," she screams to herself!

But it is too late!

The beast frees itself from the ceiling as a large pile of debris thunders to the floor. Dust fills the air and the beast is shrouded from her sight. Ahsoka watches frightfully, scanning the thick dust cloud for the red monster as it stocks her. She backed away slowly, silently, looking for a way out of this nightmare. Her heart feels like it is pounding out of her chest and she can barely breathe.

Suddenly, she sees the dim lights of those flaming eyes through the dust. The beast exhales through its nostrils and a puff of dust hits her in the face. When the beast finally sees her, it lets out another roar. Ahsoka screams and backs up until she runs into a wall and has nowhere else she can go.

 _This is it! This is it! This is how I die_ , Ahsoka says to herself. _The Force has abandoned me to death._ She had meditated and prayed to the Force about her decision to leave the Jedi Order. It gave her the answer she asked for and she faithfully obeyed the Force. Her reward for such obedience is death!

The beast lumbers over to the trapped Ahsoka. It rises onto its hind legs, and prepares for its deadly strike. Its shadow engulfs Ahsoka.

"Back you foul beast," someone yells from behind them. "You will not touch her!"

The beast whips around to face its new foe and disappears back into the dust cloud. There is a snap crackle, followed by the glow of blue light that lights up the haze. The beast cries out in pain.

"Back you beast," the stranger yells again and the blue light, lights up the haze once more.

Ahsoka gets up quickly and hurries through the dust to find the dragon and the man. He saved her life and now she needs to return the favor. She does not know if they can kill it, but she needs to get out of there. The dust is settling and she can see the beast advance towards the man, then retreat as force lightning courses through its body. She ignites her light sabers and charges at the beast. Before she reaches the beast, she glances at her rescuer and is shocked by who it is.

It is none other than Count Dooku.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Help me Ahsoka Tano," Count Dooku calls out. His tone is calm, not panicky, or frightened. "I cannot defeat the beast alone. Together we will destroy it!"

The beast roars once more and charges at Count Dooku, only to be forced back by Dooku's Force lightning. Ahsoka charges at the beast with her lightsabers still ignited in her hands. She leaps onto it's back, but its hide is too thick. Her lightsabers leave black scorch marks and sparks fly as the lightsabers strikes the beast.

"This is a palanthitar my dear! Sheath your blade. No harm shall come to it from a lightsaber," Count Dooku says as he unleashes more force lightning. "The beast can only be defeated by the power of Force! Quickly now! Rally to my side!"

Ahsoka quickly obeys his command. "What do you want me to do?" She thrust her hand out, but the force push brings no harm to the beast.

"Use your Force lightning," Dooku bellows out keeping his gaze focused on the dragon as he unleashes another torrent of force lightning. "It is the only way to defeat it!

"How? I've never used it," Ahsoka says as she jumps over the dragon's tail as it whips its tail at her.

"The Jedi never taught you how to use force lightning?"

"No!"

"That is unacceptable! They taught me how to use it when I was a Padawan."

"Well, they never taught me. How do I conjure it?"

"Stretch out your hands," Dooku orders her to which she obeys him. "Now tap into your anger and your fear! The foul creature killed your friend and it will kill you if you do not kill it first!"

"Wait! You want me to use the dark side of the Force," Ahsoka asks as she lowers her hands. She was always forbidden to use the dark side of the Force. She was even forbidden to have those feelings.

"Yes! Quickly now!"

"I can't!"

"You must! We cannot defeat it without using the dark side of the Force!"

"But I have always been taught not to!"

"You must, or we both shall perish! The dark side gives you power and this beast can only be beaten with power."

Ahsoka thinks about it for a moment before making her decision. What could it hurt for her to use it just this once? Just this once, then never again. Why should she allow the teachings of the Jedi Council to continue to guide her when she is no longer a Jedi? Why should she hide from feelings that come so natural to everyone? Feeling that will give her power. She raises her hands, but quickly lowers them.

"Now Ahsoka, before we run out of time!"

She raises her hands again, this time allowing her hatred for the beast to overwhelm her. Seconds, later she lowers her hands once more. Something is preventing her from crossing the boundary line between the light and the dark sides of the Force. It zaps her of all her strength. Suddenly, a thought crosses her mind.

"What are you waiting for," Count Dooku bellows out.

The thought returns to her again. It seems almost crazy, so she shakes her head to rid her mind of the thought – _there is no dragon_!

"Help me before it kills me!"

 _Of course, there is a dragon_ , Ahsoka thinks. An internal debate begins in her mind. Ahsoka knows there is a dragon. She felt it and saw it with her own eyes. Ahsoka raises her hands again, but the thought nags at her again until she lowers her hands.

 _There is no house either._

She begins to allow the thought to take root. Count Dooku's words become mottled babbling. _Why is he here anyways?_ It took her a few minutes to piece it together, but this whole thing is an elaborate ruse designed to lure someone to the dark side. To lure Ahsoka to the dark side.

Something strange happened after the thought took root. There were pockets in the room where she could see through the walls into another room. It was like watching a movie that was playing over another movie. She looked around the room. Parts of the dragon were missing and she saw a man, or a being wearing a black cloak. His face was hidden, but Ahsoka could tell he was watching what was going on inside the house. The sight of the being sent a chill up her back.

She turned to the right and saw an empty room through the pile of rubble on the floor. The room's wall looks like they were made of glass that glowed white. A tall being walks into the room. He too is cloaked in black and is watching the room. His hand rises to his chin, and suddenly Ahsoka knows who it is. It is Uni. He's not dead at all, and he set a trap for her.

Count Dooku is still shouting for, but it sounds like inaudible echoes to Ahsoka.

The light from the rooms begins to grow brighter. Ahsoka squints and uses her hands to shield her eyes from the intensity of the light. Finally, she closes them.

When she finally risks opening her eyes, the house is gone. The dragon, Uni, Count Dooku, and the mysterious cloaked figure are all gone too. Instead, she is in an expanse of pure white. There are no walls, no ceiling – no floor. It is almost like she is float in air. It is empty here and she is all alone, until –

A small green figure walks towards her with a tiny brown cane.

"Yoda? Is that you," Ahsoka asks. She is relieved. The nightmare is over. The room is gone! Count Dooku is gone! And the dragon is gone!

The tiny figure continued to hobble towards her with the cane. He did not answer her until he got a few feet from. "Wise girl you are. See through Dooku, you did. However, Yoda, I am not."

"Who are you then?"

"A manifestation of the Force, I am."

Ahsoka was a little disappointed and frightened. However, the closer she got to the apparition, the more at peace and contentment she felt.

"Why are you here," Ahsoka asks trying to sound brave.

"A wise question, you ask. A purpose I will bestow on you. Travel to Dagoba. There you will the real Yoda. More training you require."

"When should I leave?"

"Go now, you must!"

The light of the expanse brightened once more. Ahsoka closed her again and when she opened them, she found herself back in the house where Dooku remained, fighting the dragon.

"Help me Ahsoka," Dooku shouted. "Use the dark side of the Force. Join me and together we can defeat the beast."

"Never Dooku. I will never join you," Ahsoka says sharply.

"Help me! I cannot defeat the beast alone!"

"No! There is no dragon," Ahsoka says calmly.

"Ahsoka, please," Dooku pleads. He looks at her with fear in his face, begging for help with his eyes. Force lightning flows from his fingers into the beast's body, but this time the beast resists. "It'll kill me! Help me Ahsoka! Help me!"

The dragon rises onto its hind legs, then comes down forcefully with its mouth open. Dooku screams in terror. Force lightning flows into the beast's mouth, until it bites down on Dooku's body. Blood drips from the beast's mouth, as it shakes Dooku's lifeless body. There is a loud crunching sound as the dragon chews on the body in its mouth. More blood drips to the floor, until finally the dragon lifts its head and swallows Dooku's remains.

The beast then turns its head to Ahsoka, fixing its burning eyes on her. It bellows then charges at her.

Ahsoka does not move. She remains calm. "There is no dragon," she says aloud to herself. "This isn't real. This isn't real."

The beast closes in on her quickly and raises his head to make his strike. Ahsoka just stands there, eye the beast as it rises. It opens its fang filled mouth with chunks of red flesh impaled on them, ready to strike down on her. She closes her eyes and calmly says, "This isn't real!"

Nothing happens!

She waits several moments before opening her eyes, and when she does, she sees the dragon and the house are gone. In its place is a dull concrete grey colored room. Silver panels line the walls and there are several large glass incased eyes of a holo projectors built into the middle of the floor. She can see the two white observation rooms; both now empty. There is also a support beam in the middle of the room. Uni and Count Dooku are walking out to meet her.

"Impressive! Most impressive," Count Dooku says moving his hands as he speaks. "You are the first to see through the illusion created in this room."

"What do you want Dooku," Ahsoka says, keeping her stern gaze fixed on Dooku and Dooku alone.

"I want you to join us. I want you to allow me the privilege of completing your training," Dooku says calmly and with a friendly smile.

"Never. I will never turn to the dark side as you did!"

"Ahsoka please. You and I both know the Jedi have lost their way. Why do you persist on walking in their ways," Uni asks. Unlike Dooku's words, which feel manipulative and deceptive, Uni's words feel endearing.

"So, I am to become the taskmaster to the weak, and a murderer instead? That is the way of the Sith. The Jedi may have lost their ways, but you are deceived!"

"Ahsoka Tano, as valiant and clever you are, you are also foolish," Dooku says giving her a devilish smile. "What choice do you have? Your wits cannot save you now. You are not powerful enough to defeat a Sith lord and his apprentice. Do not allow your naivety to deceive you. Give yourself to the dark side," Count Dooku says smugly.

"Never!"

"Very well! Your death will be on your own head," Dooku says, then unleash a torrent of force lightning, which Ahsoka blocks with her lightsaber. Uni ignites his newly constructed red lightsaber, then something hard smacks into Ahsoka's back. She stumbles to the floor, dropping one of her lightsabers on the floor. The ignited lightsaber goes skidding across the floor. Dooku unleashes another torrent of force lightning, this time, striking Ahsoka in the chest. She struggles to raise her lightsaber to the blast, but eventually does.

"What are you waiting for boy," Dooku says to Uni. "Kill her!"

Uni stares at him for a moment, then turns to Ahsoka and begins to plead with her. "Please Ahsoka do what he says. Don't make me kill you!"

"No, I will never turn to the dark side," Ahsoka cries out. She feels very weak, but she would rather die, than be turned.

Uni sighs, then charges at her. She uses the Force to reclaim her lightsaber that had spilled onto the floor just in time to meet Uni's lightsaber. He pushes down hard with his blade, but she does not budge even when she is blocking Dooku's force lightning with the lightsaber in her other hand. When he realizes he cannot defeat her, Uni kicks her in the chest. Ahsoka winces in pain as she falls to the floor. She drops both lightsaber, and this time Uni picks them up.

Ahsoka is defenseless now.

"Any last words," Dooku asks, but using his force lightning before she has a chance to answer. The current hits her square in her chest and Ahsoka cries out in pain as she falls to her hands and knees. A maddening and sadistic look appears on Dooku's face the closer he is to killing her.

"Ahsoka please," Uni pleads with her as tears roll down his face. "Give in to him!"

Ahsoka's only reply are screams of more pain.

"Stop it," Uni now pleads with Dooku. "Stop, you're killing her."

Dooku does just that. Anger now fills Dooku's face and turns his attention to Uni. Ahsoka is curled up in a ball on the ground. Her body is smoking. Uni bends down to check on her.

"You came to me," Dooku tells Uni. "You asked to be taught the secrets of the dark side."

Dooku now unleashes his force lightning onto Uni, who cries out in pain.

"If you cannot kill a Jedi, then you are too weak for the dark side of the Force," Dooku yells. "The dark side does not respect those who are weak!"

Ahsoka uses this distraction to pull her lightsabers back into her hands. Once she has them, she hurls one of her ignited lightsabers at Dooku. He ducks out of the way.

"You missed," Dooku says with that devilish grin of his. He raises his hands to unleash another torrent of force lightning.

"Actually, I didn't," Ahsoka says.

Dooku turns around quickly to see the lightsaber spinning back towards him. It slices through the support beam and the ceiling begins to collapse on them. Count Dooku throws his hands up to catch the falling debris with the Force.

Ahsoka grabs Uni and they rush out of the building before Dooku can catch them. Neither looking back.


End file.
